[Peace-discuss] Filmmaker Michael Moore responds to critics of his ‘Sniper’ stance

[David Johnson]

Filmmaker responds to critics of his ‘Sniper’ stance

 <http://www.marketwatch.com/Journalists/Shawn_Langlois> Description: http://i.mktw.net/_newsimages/2014_dreds/shawnLanglois_100.png

By

 <http://www.marketwatch.com/Journalists/Shawn_Langlois> 

 <http://www.marketwatch.com/Journalists/Shawn_Langlois> ShawnLanglois 

 

Markets reporter

Description: http://ei.marketwatch.com/Multimedia/2013/08/15/Photos/MG/MW-BG899_michae_20130815153207_MG.jpg?uuid=75aa0e92-05e1-11e3-86f7-00212876b3fcReuters 

Filmmaker Michael Moore, an expert courter of controversy, has been pilloried over the past few days by some on the right, including the likes of Sarah Palin and Kid Rock, for incendiary words he tweeted about the “American Sniper” film. 

Newt Gingrich went so far as to suggest Moore should spend some time  <https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/556988852897054720> with ISIS and Boko Haram.

This is what started it all:  <https://twitter.com/MMFlint> Michael Moore        ✔ @MMFlint 

 <https://twitter.com/MMFlint> Follow 

My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse

 <https://twitter.com/MMFlint/status/556914094406926336> 2:40 PM - 18 Jan 2015 

 

After catching flak for his contentious remarks, Moore  <https://www.facebook.com/mmflint/posts/10152568343941857> took to Facebook on Sunday to hit back at those accusing him of hating the troops. Damage control, it wasn’t. 

“Well, who would know better about hating our troops than those who supported sending them into a senseless war Iraq in the first place? And, for 4,482 of them, a senseless, unnecessary and regrettable death,” he wrote. 

“If you supported that invasion, if you voted for George W. Bush and the Republicans and Democrats who backed this war, then you are the ones who have some ‘splainin’ to do. Not me. You.”

He went on to list the ways in which he’s proven his support of the troops. For one, when his dad died, Moore asked that instead of flowers, donations be sent to the Veterans of Peace. He also mentioned how he pushes businesses to hire vets, raises money for wounded soldiers and offers free admission for military personnel and their families at his theater in Michigan. 

Moore also took a swipe at the director of the film. 

“You can’t have a conversation about what Clint Eastwood is up to if you haven’t seen what it is he’s up to,” he wrote. “Eastwood made maybe the greatest Western ever — ‘Unforgiven’ — but now it’s sad seeing him talking to an empty chair on a stage or making an Iraq movie that Rolling Stone this week called ‘ <http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/american-sniper-is-almost-too-dumb-to-criticize-20150121> too dumb to bother criticizing.’”

Then he took a parting shot directly at his network nemesis.

“I tried to save more lives than a sniper ever could hope to — by preventing us from going to war in the first place,” he said. “So, Fox News and the other lazy media — quit making s**t up about me! You look ridiculous.”

As for the film itself, the buzz doesn’t seem to be hurting a bit. The drama about the SEAL marksman topped the box office for the second weekend in a row, reaping more than $200 million, along with several Academy Award nominations. 

 

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